Lubricating apparatus



F. s. BARKS ET'AL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1931 d l y r Patented Nov. 1'4,

1.935.131 wnmcamo APPARATUS FrankS.BarhandFolter Mo.,assignmtoIJneolnEngineex-lng Holmes, St. Lenk,

' Company,StJmuigMo.,acci-porationofllimmrlyl YApplication: May 6, 1931. Serial No. 535,465

4 Claims. (C1. 18d-7) 'I'his invention relates to lubricating apparatus and with regard to certain more specic features, to distributor means used in connection with such apparatus.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved coupler and indicating means for a distributing means described in the United States patent application of Frank S. Barks, filed November 14, 1930, Se-

rial No. 495,596, for Lubricating apparatus; the

provision of an indicator for distributing means of the class described which' indicator is adapted to show the type and/or operation of said distributar; and, the provision of a coupler for the distributing means of the class described which is adapted to provide an extendable conl nection between said distributor'and pipes connected therewith. Other objects will be inl part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements o1' parts which .will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter' described, and the scope of the application oi' .25 which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical, axial section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5, ot a distributing means;

Fig. 2 is a detailed pian view of a modined i'orm ot an indicating means adapted to be applied to the distributing means:

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken'on line 3-3 of Fig. 2: f

Fig. 4'is a cross sectional view taken on 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is s pian view showing distributors similar to thoseof Fig. 1 assembled; and, Fig.6isaplanviewsimilartol*ig.5but show-f ing an alternative position of the distributors.

Similar reference' characters indicate corre-` sponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

f Referring now more to Fig. 1

there is shown a distributing lubricator such as is described in' the said application of Frank S.

Y Barks,hereinbefore mentioned; and, as shown in l Figs. 5 and 6. the distributor is positioned between high pressure lubricating lines I and O.

which are ordinarily subjected t`o vibrations or like movements. The distributor comprises a'y body portion l having a cylinder 3 for slidably accommodating a packed main piston 5.l The main piston 5 is annular and ,slldably rides upon line.

the line O and vice versa.

and seals against a stem 7 of a piston valve. Said piston 5 comprises a metal center portion 8 with end portions 8 comprising packing. The valve comprises the stem 7 and two heads 9 and 1ll at the left and right respectively.

The heads 9 and 11 of said piston valve reciprocate in cylinders 13 and 15 respectivelmiormed in bodies 17 andv 19 which are threaded to-the main body portion l and which have outlets 25 and 27 respectively communicating with cylino5 ders 13 and 15,. Packing 18 may be positioned between theportions 17 and 19 and,y the main body portion 1 to provide for angular adjustment of the portions 17 and 19 in order to properly rotate the outlets 25 and 27 to the directions they 'lo should assume.

Cylinders 13 and 15 are provided withl inlets 29 and 32 in which are respectively threaded a nipple 69 and a sleeve 57 to-be described hereinafter and which are respectively connected to .15 the lines I and 0,. When the head 9 is in-its right hand position, not shown, a by-pass 33 bypasses iluid from the inlet 29 and from the outer face oi' the head 9 to the left face of the main piston 5. Likewise the cylinder 15 is provided 80 with a by-pass 35 which serves a purpose similar .to that of the pass 33. It will be noted that .when the head 9 is in its left hand position as shown ,f in Flg.1 theby-pass 33 is closed and the outlet 25 is' in communication with the cylinder 13 and 85 consequently-with the bore 3 and at the same time, the head 11 allows communication between the inlet 32, the by-pass 3,5 and the cylinder or bore 3, at'which time the outlet 27 is cut of! from communication with the cylinder 15. Whenin 0o its right hand position the head 9 cuts of! the outi let 25 from the cylinder 13-but allows communication between the inlet29, the by-pass 33 and 'with the. bore 3, and at the same time the outlet 27 isin communication with the cylinder 15 and 95 the by-pass 35-is shut off ,from the inlet 32.

The pressure in the lines I and O is controlled by an apparatus not to be described herein because it is not pertinent to the description of the invention, but it is noted that when hlshpressureexists in th line I a relatively low 'pressure exists in the line 0 and vice versa; and when a certain predetermined maximum pressure is reached in the line I the high pressure shifts from the lineI to 106 The operation of the distributor lubricator is as follows: AssumingthelineOtobenowinitshlshl-l'- sure stage', the grease or other lubricating materia: contained therein :s -formi through s113110 shifts to the show that the piston 5 2 line 0 to the inlet 32, into the cylinder 15, through the by-pass 35, into the bore 3 where its pressure is exerted against the piston- 5; 4This pressure exerted against the piston 5 pushes it to the left thereby pushing any material which may be in the left hand end of the bore'3 out of the outlet 2 5. When the piston 5 reaches the extreme left hand end of the bore 3, or when other unusual conditions come about wh'ch prevent ilow of material from the outlet 25 thus causing the pressure in the line O to` reach the predetermined maximum pressure, the high pressure in the line O then line I, and the line O is put under relatively low pressure.v With this change the pressure in the line I is conducted to the`inlet'29, where it reacts against the head 9 to push the head 9 to the right, opening the by-pass 33, closing the outlet 25, opening the outlet 27 and closing the by-pass 35. Thus the high'pressure in the line I is communicated to the left hand end of the piston `5 which is moved to the right, forcing material in the right hand end of the bore 3 out through the outlet 27. This operation is more fully explained in the hereinbefore mentioned application of Frank S. Barks, the present description being ample for the present purposes. I Inasmuch as the outlets 25 and 27 respectively communicate withbearings which are inherently likely to' become stopped or closed to the passage of grease thereto, thepiston 5 may be prevented from making complete strokes in the bore 3 because the hereinbeiore mentionedpredetermined maximum pressure in the lines I and O which operates the valve stem 7 may build up before the piston 5 completes its stroke'due to building up of a resistance in the ,outlets 25 or 27. Unless precautions are taken, foreign particles or obstructionsin the lines 25 and 27 may operate to prevent bearings from receiving the proper amount of lubrication due to the non-completed stroke of the piston 5. We have,provided, however, a warning flag or indicating means 39 which is associated withthe piston 5, and which reciprocates with the piston 5 in an opening 37 The indicator 39 provided in the body portion 1. comprises a stud 41 extending from the'cylinder 6, of the piston 5, through an opening 37, through a slot 47 formed in a cover plate 43, which is held on the body portion 1 by screws '45 and which is provided to keep dirt or other foreign material' from entering the opening 37. Indicia4 49 are provided to cooperate with the pointer 41 to indicate thevposition of the piston `5 in the bore 3.

Thus a signal is provided which at all times indicates the position of the piston 5 in its stroke. If for instance the outlet 25 has become stopped or closed, thereby preventing any substantial delivery of grease to itsbearing, the flag 39 will. is not moving as far to' the left as it should and stepsl may be taken to either increase the maximum pressure required in the line. O before the pressure is transferred to the line I, or the bearing in communication with the line 25 may be cleaned.

In the form of the indicator 39 shown in Figs.

I 2, 3 and 4 the plate 43 is eliminated. Theopen- The pointer is formed with extensions ing 37 is shallower because a portion 51 .is cut out of the body portion 1 leaving' sloping walls 53. The slot 37 is thus relatively shallow inasmuch as the cut 51 passes 'Ihe stud 41 which is shorter than that of the Fig. l modification,

54 which slope up from contact with the piston 5 and act close to the bore 3.

is provided with a pointer 55.

as a plow or the like to prevent dirt, which may accumulate in the slot 37, from being packed against the ends of the slot (Fig. 3). As in the Fig. 1 modification the indicia 49 cooperate with the pointer 55 ,to indicate the position of the piston 5.

Anv advantage oi such indicators 39 is 'that at a glancean .operator can tell if the piston 5 is functioning properly and whether or not the outlets 25 and 27 are being properly supplied with grease. Furthermore, in actual operation there may be a number of distributing lubricators between the lines I and O, each having a piston 5 of .diierent length supplying respective bearings 19 and line `0, comprises two sleeves 57 and 59 j,

the latter telescoping into and movable in the former. The sleeve 59 enters the sleeve `57 through a guide 61 threaded on the sleeve 57. The guide 61 is adapted to keep packing' 8 in place, which provides a seal between the sleeves 57 and 59. The sleeve 59 carries a collar 65 which reacts against a washer 63 to prevent the sleeve 59 from being removed from the sleeve 57. The sleeve 57 is threaded into the body portion 19 as shown inFig. 1. The 'sleeve 59 is threaded into an lelbow 67 which in turn is threaded to a coupler in the line O. by means of pipe threads.

The packing packing, but the packing we prefer is described in detail inthe United States patent application of Frank S. Barks, Serial No. 495,838, filed November 15, 1930, for Sealing means. This packing comprises alternate layer of canvas and thin rubber, and is substantially oil and grease resisting. Furthermore, it is adapted to radially expand, uniformly throughout its The provision of the` coupler 31 and of such a ,joint at the outletA 29 allows considerable movement between the lines I and O connected by means of the distributor lubricators as shown. Thus if one or both of the lines I andO are connected to a piece of mechanism which is 'subject to considerable vibration in one plane, the coupler 31 by means of the sliding connection of the sleeves 57 and 59, permitsconsiderable displacement in the relative positioning of the lines, I and O with or without changing the actual distance between'the two lines. Furthermore, the coupler 31 and the type of threading used at the outlet 29 between the nipple 69 and the elbow 71 allows theportions'17 and 19 to be angularly rotated to properly position the outlets 25 and i27.

8' may comprise any suitablel length, when subjected to end pressure.y An end pressure exerted by the vfluid, .in the sleeve 57, against the washer 63 the 4 The coupler 31 is also of distinct advantage to prevent stresses and strains which might other- Iwise occur in the distributor 2' due to non-synby means of the guide 61.

A further advantage of the -coupler 31 is that in the installation of the distributors 2 between the lines I and O accurate pipe work is not necessary inasmuch as the distance between the pipes I and O may be Varied, because of the variable distance between the elbows 67 and 71 allowed by the movement between the sleeves 57 and 59. Moreover, many of the vibratory shocks which would otherwise be transferred to the distributor- 2 from the lines I and O are absorbed in the action between the sleeves 57 and 59 hence cheaper construction may be used in-the distributors 2.

It is to be understood that the couplers 31 are also used to advantage at the outlets 25 and 27, especially if the bearings connected with the outlets are subject to movement.

In view of the above, it willbe seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for distributing fluid from two sources under pressure, comprising a body portion having inlets and outlets, said inlets being connected to said sources, a plurality of bores `in said body portion, an annular piston in at least one of said bores, valve heads in said other bores and a stem joining said heads and passing through said annular piston to form a valve exposed to said inlets, said piston and said valve being freely floating in their respective bores,

said body portion having a longitudinal slot formed therein, and an indicator mounted on said annular piston and extending through said slot whereby the operation of said piston is indicated by said indicator.

2. Apparatus for distributing fluid from two sources under pressure, comprising a body portion having inlets and outlets, said inlets being connected to said sources, a plurality of bores in said body portion, an annular piston in at least one of said bores, valve heads in said other bores and a stem joining said heads and passing through said annular piston to form a valve exposed to said inlets, said piston and said valve being freely floating in their `respective bores,

said body portion having a' slot formed therein,

and an indicator mounted on said annular piston and extending through said slot whereby the operation of said' piston is indicated by said indicator and means associated with said opening and indicator adapted to inhibit the interference of foreign material with the operation of said indicator.

3. Apparatus for distributing fluid from two sources under pressure, comprising a substan` tially rigid body portion having inlets and outlets, means 'for connecting said inlets with said sources, said means being adapted to allow rotational and angular movement of said body portion with respect to said sources, said means comprising an extensible coupler between at least one inlet and its source, and elbow fittings joining said-inlets and said sources.

'4. In combination with a substantially rigid distributor of the class described connected to inlet and outlet lines, a coupler effecting at least one of said connections, said coupler comprising telescoping sleeves slidable in but not normally removable from one another, packing between said sleeves being adapted to provide a substantially fluid tight seal therebetween, said sleeves being respectively in communication with said distributor and one of said lines, an elbow 

